Virginia Politics: Notes From The Sausage Factory

July 10, 2005|By BARNIE DAY

Democrats

Linwood Holton: "When I returned to the U.S. from the Pacific at the end of World War II, Bill Tuck had been elected governor of Virginia with just 8 percent of the registered vote in the commonwealth. He could do that because politics in Virginia was then, and had been for two generations, dominated by an all-powerful one-party political machine. I had been fascinated with politics since early childhood, and Tuck's 'appointment' as governor in 1945 confirmed my determination to 'break up this machine.'"

Charles Robb: "At the end of our political campaigns, Virginians expect us to roll up our partisan flags and govern responsibly for the common good. Fortunately, Virginia has had leaders of both parties, Democrats and Republicans, who understood the fundamental importance of prudent management of the public purse -- an understanding that is as critical today as it has ever been."

Jerry Baliles: "Each generation, each era, must produce effective elected officials as the American experiment unfolds. From childhood on, education is the key in this endeavor, as it is for everything. It must be accessible to all, regardless of wealth. It must be broad ranging and deep, and it should specifically include speechcraft and law -- which it too frequently does not. Even the art of genuine politics can be taught; manners and social graces are not archaic."

Doug Wilder: "One of the things accomplished during my administration as governor of the commonwealth that gives me great satisfaction was the creation of 'The Rainy Day Fund.' There were critics who said the fund was not needed and felt that my first infusion of $200 million was wasting dollars. I had insisted that before we even spoke of any further spending we would put that amount away in a 'lock box' as a hedge against further downturns in our economy. I was determined that no future governor should find himself in my predicament upon assuming office: I was left with a $2 billion shortfall, which had not been discussed or predicted by the media or the previous administration."

George Allen: "The remarkable story of Virginia's transition from one-party Democratic domination to a competitive political environment in which Republicans enjoy a modest advantage is one of the great political stories of our time. And it offers helpful lessons for all Virginians. The formula for the Republican gains in Virginia during the second half of the 20th century can be captured in three words: competition, accountability and reform."

Jim Gilmore: "Budget decisions are about choices, not about dictates, or inevitabilities. We dedicated lottery profits to education during my administration to fulfill an old commitment. We repeatedly proposed converting tobacco settlement payments to the state into a lump sum, which could have defrayed one-time expenses, or spun off interest forever. The Virginia Senate rejected this proposal in 2000, and again in 2001. It finally passed in 2002, but Gov. Warner chose not to pursue it until 2003. By then the market for these kinds of bonds had collapsed. Now, our proposal has risen from the dead and is quite alive and well again. The Virginia Tobacco Commission securitized a portion of our tobacco settlement proceeds in May of this year, five years after my administration first proposed such action, and under terms less favorable."

Mark Warner: "In the days following my inauguration, we got a look at the books and realized Virginia faced budget shortfalls in the billions of dollars, and major cuts to state services would be necessary. We put in place new ways of doing business in state government -- with the aim of long-term, enterprise-wide savings. We made tough choices, and for the most part, people understood."

Day is a former Democratic delegate representing Patrick County. Send e-mail to bkday@swva.net. "Notes from the Sausage Factory," edited by Day and Becky Dale ( Brunswick Books, 410 pages), will be available at www.baconsrebellion.com in late July. *